Bottle-feeding apparatus



im 7 "1924- l www l l H. G. HAEMKER ET-AL BOTTLE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. so. 1921 s' sheersheet [7g/:ffy E Mensch, a7 ma paf.

Patented ct. 7, 19.24.

HERMAN G. HAEMKER ANI) NICHOLAS F. MERSCH, OF PALATNE, LLINOISM AND HENRY E. MERSCH, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

BOTTLE-FEEDNG AFPARAT'US.

Application filed .November :10, 1921. vSeriaI No. 518,820.

To all whom 25 may concern.'

Be it known that we, HERMAN G. HAEM- Knr. and NICHOLAS F. Munson, citizens of the United States, residing at Palatine, Vin the county of Cook and .State of illinois, and HENRY E. Munson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is va specification.4

n using bottle-filling machines of the type wherein the bottlesare carried to the filling and capping devices in a single file, it has heretofore been necessary' to employ a workman to take the bottles from the bottle cases or trays and place thebottles in proper position in the bottle-filling machine.

The object of the.. present invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding bottles which will obvate the necessity of manually arranging the bo-ttles in the bottle-filling machine.

In t-he accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a bottle-feeding apparatus embodying the features of our machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus. F ig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig.y 2. Fig. 4 is a front end viewV of the apparatus, the cradle 6 being shown inthe vposition occupied when the bottles are deliveredto the conveyer. y g j `While the inventionma'y be embodied in various forms, we have herein shown an apparatus comprising a main vframe 1, a 'stationary top plate or table 2jhaving av circular opening 3 therein, a table` 4 located in the plane of the top plate 2 and arranged to rotate within 'the opening 3, a bottle adr,v

vancing means as conveyerV 5 for carrying a quantity of bottles to the top plate 2 andv for pushing the bottles onto the rotary table 4, a cradle orv inverter 6 to facilitate the dumping of the case and bottles onto the conveyer, suitable guide means for directing the bottles vonto'the rotary table, othen guide means whereby the bottles become arranged in single iile as the table. revolves, and a discharge passage through which the le of bottles is advanced by the rotary table into position to be received by the bottlefilling machine. 1

The cradle 6 comprises a rock shaft 7 pivotally mount-ed in the main frame 1 and carrying a'support 8 upon which a tray or case of bottles may be placedon itsside.

The support 8 may be of, any suitable construction. Herein it is shown as comprising bars 9 secured to the rock shaft 7 at right angles thereto, the outer ends of the bars 9 being joined by a bar 10 extending parallel with the shaft 7.

Cleaned milk bottles are ordinarily placedi in'thebottle case or tray bottoms up in order that they may drainthoroughly andto keep out dust. l The cradle 6 also lcomprises means .to prevent the bottles from falling out lof the case or tray as the latter is being inverted. While the bottle-retainer may. be of any suitable character, that herein shown ycomprises a series of fingers 12 arranged in pairs, these fingers being fixed to the rock shaft 7 and extending at right angles to the support 8.

The means for operating the cradle or inverter 6 comprises a treadle 13 pivoted to the main frame at 14 and connected by means of a link 15 to an arm 164fast onv the shaft 7. Gravity normally holds the cradle 6 r in the position shownV in Fig. 2, thesupport 8 resting 'against la cross bar 17 -attached tothe frame. After placing a case of bottlesin the'c'ra'dle 6 with one side `of the case bearing against the support n8 and the upper or open side of thecase in contact with the lower side-of the fingers 12,the operator steps upon4 the treadle 13, thereby causing the cradle to swing upwardly. As the cradle and bottle'case pass from in front of the 'shaft Yj'to-*a'position behindthe verticase to continue swingingover and down,-

the descent of the cradle` and case being restrained' through pressure exerted by the op.- erator upon the treadle 13 as the latter rises.

The conveyer 5 may be of any preferred type. Herein is shown a -conveyer of theA endless type. Vhilevarious forms of endless conveyers are suitablefor the purpose, we have herein shown a conveyer compri.;- ing two sp-rocket'chains 18 extendingaround sprocket wheels 19 land 20. To thev chains 18 are secured metal bars 21 .and to these in turn areattached wooden vbars or slats 22, The upper stretch of t-he conveyer J is supported against sagging by suitablemeans, as, for example, guide bars 23 (Fig. 3) underlying the chains 18 and angle bars 24 unprovide suitable means, as,

derlying the middle portions of the bars 21, the bars 23 and 24 being attached to the main frame. The sprocket wheels 19 are mounted upon a shaft 25, while the sprocket wheels 2O are fixed upon a shaft 26. To one end of the shaft 26 is secured a sprocket wheel 2T around which extends a sprocket chain 28. Said chain also extends around a sprocket wheel 29 on a drive shaft 30. As herein shown, the latter carries a belt pulley 31, but it will be understood that any suitable means may be employed to drive the shaft. 32 is an idler for taking up slacl; in the sprocket chain 28.

The slats 22 are transversely grooved so as to provide grooves 33 (Fig. extending longitudinally of the conveyer. These grooves or interstices are so located as to accommodate the fingers 12 when the cradle 6 is tilted to dev posit. a case of bottles upon the conveyer, the

parts being so arranged and the grooves 33 being sufficiently deep so that when the cradle is thus tilted the bottles rest upon the conveyer. U pon lifting the inverted case off the bottles, the latter are left standing upon the conveyer. The conveyer advances the bottles toward the continuonsly rotating table 34 are guide rails fixed to the main frame alongside the conveyer, said guide rails con.- verging so as to cause the bottles to be compact-ed as the conveyer advances them toward the table 4. ln order to bridge the gap between the horizontal portion of the conveyer 5 and the edge of the to o plate 2, we or example, fingers 35 having thin bases or attaching portions which` are secured to the top plate 2, said fingers extending across the gap between the conveyer and the table and lying approximately in the plane of the top of the conveyer, the ends of the fingers 35 lying` in the grooves or interstices 33.

The space 36 above the rotar f table 4 onto which the bottles are pushed by the conveyer 5 is partially enclosed by guide rails 37, and 39,'the guide rails 3T and 38 being` located at opposite sides of the portal through which the bottles are pushed by the conveyor. The guide rails 3T and 38 are concentric with the opening 3 and are securedto the ltop plate 2. The guide rail 39 is inclined, that is, it extends diagonally `to converge with the rail 38so as to force the bottles toward the periphery of the rotary table 4 as the' latter revolves in the direction indicated by the varrow a. The bottles are discharged from the space 36 through a. curved passageway 41 defined by a guide rail 42 forming a continuation of the lguide rail 38, and by a guide rail 43 which is a. continuation of the guide rail 39 and is concentric with the guide 42. rlhe guide 42 is secured to the top plate 2 at the edge of the opening 3. The guide rails 39 4 by means of a frame 44. The passage 41 in different machines may, of course, be of any desired width, but herein is just wide enough to accommodate a single row of quart milk bottles. At the outlet end of the passage 41 the guide rails 42 and 43 are bent to direct the bottles off the table 4 onto the top plate 2 and thence to an adjacent portion (not shown) of the bottle-filling machine.

At the end of the guide rail 43 is a pair of horizontal angular lingers 45, 'the end portions of which extend perpendicularly to and in front of the passage 41. Feeding devices forming party of the bottle-filler and travelling in the direction indicated by the arrow 7) (Fig. 1) are arranged to pass through the space between the fingers 45. Said lingers are secured in adjusted position by means of a set screw 46.

To the end of the guide rail 42 is hinged a section 4T arranged to swing toward and away from the rail 43. A rod 43 pivoted to the section 47 is slidable in a guide wherein it may be clamped in adjusted position by a set screw 49.

The adjustable fingers and section 4T provide means for adjusting the outlet of the passage 41 to correspond with the size of bottle to be filled, as, for example, quarts, pints or half-pints. lVhen pints and halfpints are being advanced to the filler, the bottles are more or less staggered while within the passage 41. Then they reach the outlet, the hinged section 4T forces the bottles into line, one behind the other. The table 4 rotates fast enough to push the bottles against the lingers 45. Thus the hinged section 47, the adjustable fingers 45 and the rotary table 4 serve to present the bottles singly in a definite position for engagement by the bottle-advancing lingers of the bottle-filling macliine.

The means herein. shown for rotating the table 4 consists of bevel gear 50 (Fig. 4) on the shaft 30 anda bev-el gear 51 on the vertical shaft 52 to which the table is se cured. rlhe lower end of the shaft 52 is journaled in a bearing on the main frame, the upper end of said shaft being supported in a bearing on the frame 44.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows: The workman places a case of bottles in the cradle 6, and while holding the case in the cradle he de presses the treadle 13, whereby the cradle is caused to swing upwardly. After the cradle has passed a certain point, gravity completes the mov-ement of the cradle, the descent of the cradle being restrained by means of the treadle. The cradle having completed its movement, the workman lifts the case off the bottles, leaving the bottles standing on the conveyer 5. The conveyor advances t-he bottles into the space 36,

and 43 are suitably supported above the table whence they are carried by the table 4 into table in the passage 4l. As the bottles are pushed onto the adjacent portion of the bottle-filler and against the fingers 45, the feeding devices on the bottlefiller engage the bottles and advance them to the filling and capping mechanism.

`We claim as our invention: 4

l; A bottle feeder having, in combination, bottle-advancing means to receive bottles from a case, and an inverter for the case comprising a longitudinal iiat member pivoted along'one side and adapted to contact a side of the case, a series of fingers at right angles to said Vmember substantially at the pivotal line, the ngers being arranged to cover the open top of the case and to hold the bottles therein upon inversion, said member being pivotaliy movable to ybring the fingers into spaces in the bottle-advancing means to allow the bottles to rest upon the advancing means, whereupon removal of the case in the inverted position releases theA bottles to be advanced.

2. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a top plate having a circular opening therein, a table mo-unted to rotarte in said opening and in the plane ofsaid top plate, a guide rail extending partly around the edge o-f said opening, a. concentric guide supported above the table, said guides at one end being shaped to direct bottles off the rotary table, an inclined guide supported above the rotary table and continued in the second-mentioned guide, and means for placing bottles on said front of said inclined guide.

3. A bottle feeder having, in combination, bottle-advancing means to receive bottles from a case, and an inverter for the case comprising a rock shaft adjacent the bottleadvancing means, a rigid member on the rock shaft adapted to contact a side of a case, a bottle retainer rigid on the shaft and adapted to cover the open top of the case, means to rock the shaft to invert the case into the path of the bottle advancing means, the bottle retainer being constructed of rigid fingers which, in the inverted position of the case lie in spaces provided therefor in the bottle-advancing means parallel to its line of travel.

4. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a passageway for a single ile of bottles, an adjustably mounted finger extending transversely of the outlet end of said passageway, said finger forming a continuation of one side of the passageway, a hinged guide forming a continuation of the other side of said passageway at the outlet end of the latter, and means to hold said hinged guide in position to restrict the outlet end of said passageway.

5. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a passageway for a single iileof bottles, an adjustably mounted linger extending tran-sversely of the outlet end of said passageway,

said finger forming al continuation of one side of the passageway, and meansat the other sidey of said passageway to res-trict the outlet end of said passageway. y*

6. A bottle feeder having, in combination, aI passageway foralsingle file 4of bottles, an adjustable bottle-positioner at the outlet end of said passageway at one side thereof, a hingedv guide forming a continuation v.of the other side ofsaidpassageway at the outlet end of `the latter, and .means `to hold said hinged guide in position to restrict the loutlet end of said passageway.

7. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a bottle conveyor, a rock shaft in front thereof, a, lsupport onsaid rock shaft against which `the side ofa bottle case may be rested, the said case being arranged to support bottles by their necks mouth down, a series of bottle-retainer fingers attachedfto said shaft in `position to underlie the bottles and retain them in the case when it is inverted, and means for rocking the shaft to deposit the case upon the conveyor, the said con-` veyor having interstices Ito receive the fingers when the case is inverted upon the conveyor so that when the case is raised from the bottles the latter may move free of t-he fingers along on the conveyor.

8. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a bottle conveyor, a rock shaft, asupport on said rock shaft against which the side of a bottle case may be placed, the said case being arranged to hold bottles in mouthdown position, a bottle retainer attached to said shaft in position to hold the bottles in the case while said shaft is being rocked,

and means for rocking the shaft to deposit the case upon the conveyor, said conveyor being shaped to receive the bottle-retainer when the case is inverted upon the conveyor whereby to permity the bottles to move on the conveyor free of the retainer when the case is removed.

9. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a conveyor, a rock shaft, a support on said rock shaft against which the side of a bottle case may be placed arranged to hold a case having bottles in mouth-down position to drain, a bottle retainer attached to said shaft. in position to hold the bottles in the case while said shaft is being rocked, and means for rocking the shaft to deposit the case upon the conveyor with the bottles in bottom-down position to be filled.

10. In a bottle feeder, a conveyor, a rock shaft, a support on said rock shaft against which the side of a bottle case may be placed, a series of bottle-retainer fingers attached to said shaft in position to underlie the bottles when the case is inverted, and means for rocking the shaft to deposit the case upon the conveyor.

11. In a bottle feeder, in combination, a conveyor, an inverter for placing a bottle case in inverted position upon the conveyor, and a treadle connected to said inverter for swinging the inverter Vto and over dead center and for restraining its descent past dead center.

l2. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a top plate having a circular opening therein, a table mounted to rotate in said opening in the plane of said plate, a guide rail secured upon said top plate extending'V partly around the edge of the opening and the periphery of the top, a concentric guide suspended over said table from supports on said top plate, said guides being relatively displaced to provide a single iile passageway having one end conformed to arrange the bottles in a tile from disorderly relation and at the other end to discharge the bottles from the table, and means for supplying bottles to said table in front of said guides.

13. A bottle feeder having, in combination, a top plate having a circular opening therein, a table mounted to lrotate in said opening, a guide rail secured upon said top plate extending partly around the edge of the opening and the periphery of the table, a 4concentric guidesuspended over said table from supports on said top plate to provide With the first mentioned guide rail a single iile passageway, and another guide rail extending in converging relation With and forming a continuation of said concentric guide to arrange the bottles in single file from disorderly relation, said passage- Way being conformed at the discharge end for discharging the bott-les from the table, and means for supplying bottles to said table in front of said guides.

ln testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

HERMAN G. HAEMKER. NICHOLAS F. MERSCH. HENRY E. MER-SCH. 

